Gas turbine, gas turbine apparatus, and refrigerant collection method for gas turbine moving blades

ABSTRACT

In a gas turbine having a structure of collecting a refrigerant after cooling the moving blades, a plurality of wheels having a plurality of moving blades including cooling paths in the outer periphery and a plurality of spacer members are alternately arranged on the rotating axis. A plurality of flow paths through which a refrigerant after cooling the moving blades flows are installed in the spacer members, and the first flow paths interconnect the moving blades arranged on the wheels on the upstream side of gas flow to the downstream side of gas flow of the spacer members, and the second flow paths interconnect the moving blades arranged on the wheels on the downstream side of gas flow to the upstream side of gas flow of the spacer members. The flow paths may be provided with bent parts in the neighborhood of the center of the space members in the axial direction or may be in a linear shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas turbine for cooling movingblades using a refrigerant, a gas turbine apparatus, and a refrigerantcollection method for gas turbine moving blades.

[0002] The combustion temperature of a gas turbine has a tendency toincrease year by year so as to increase the efficiency and particularlythe moving blades which are exposed to combustion gas become high intemperature, so that it is necessary to let a refrigerant flow in themand cool them.

[0003] As a refrigerant, compressed air extracted from a compressor,vapor generated by exhaust heat of combustion gas or the like is used.

[0004] To improve the efficiency of a gas turbine, it is important tocollect and use a refrigerant after cooling the moving blades of theturbine in addition to realization of a high combustion temperature.Therefore, the so-called closed circuit cooling structure that therefrigerant flowing path is a closed circuit, for example, as describedin Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 8-14064 is variously proposed.

[0005] The big problems of a gas turbine having such a closed circuitcooling structure are the stress due to centrifugal force caused byrotation of the gas turbine and the sealing property of the connectionof the refrigerant flow paths installed in the configuration member ofthe moving blades and turbine rotor.

[0006] The reason for that the stress due to centrifugal force caused byrotation of the gas turbine comes into a problem is shown below.

[0007] The turbine rotor rotates at a very high speed round the centerline of the turbine, so that remarkable stress due to the centrifugalforce is generated in the outer periphery. Particularly the wheel hasmany moving blades in the outer periphery and the operating centrifugalforce is extremely large, so that high strength is required. Generally,inside the configuration member of the turbine rotor, the refrigerantflow paths and others are installed and hence the configuration membersare not uniform, so that the stress is concentrated at a specific partand there is the possibility that the strength decreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a gas turbinerequiring realization of high efficiency with increased combustiontemperature which has high reliability on the stress due to thecentrifugal force caused by rotation of the gas turbine and highefficiency.

[0009] A gas turbine according to the present invention has a turbinerotor which includes a plurality of moving blades having cooling pathsthrough which a refrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheels havingthe aforementioned moving blades in the outer periphery, and at least aspacer member to be installed between the neighboring wheels, whereinthe spacer member has a plurality of flow paths through which arefrigerant after cooling the moving blades flows and the plurality offlow paths have the first flow paths interconnecting to the coolingpaths installed in the moving blades on the first wheel neighboring withthe spacer members and interconnecting to the first space formed on theside wall surface with which the second wheel neighboring with thespacer member and the spacer member is in contact and the second flowpaths interconnecting to the cooling paths installed in the movingblades on the second wheel and interconnecting to the second spaceformed on the side wall surface with which the first wheel and thespacer member are in contact.

[0010] Further, a gas turbine apparatus according to the presentinvention has a turbine rotor which includes a plurality of movingblades having cooling paths through which a refrigerant flows inside, aplurality of wheels having the aforementioned moving blades in the outerperiphery, and at least a spacer member to be installed between theneighboring wheels, a compressor, and a combustor, wherein the spacermember has a plurality of flow paths through which a refrigerant aftercooling the moving blades flows and the plurality of flow paths have thefirst flow paths interconnecting to the cooling paths installed in themoving blades on the first wheel neighboring with the spacer member andinterconnecting to the first space formed on the side wall surface withwhich the second wheel neighboring with the spacer member and the spacermember are in contact and the second flow paths interconnecting to thecooling paths installed in the moving blades on the second wheel andinterconnecting to the second space formed on the side wall surface withwhich the first wheel and the spacer member are in contact, interconnectthe first and second spaces and the combustion air flow paths suppliedto the combustor to each other, supply compressed air extracted from thecompressor to the moving blades cooling paths as a refrigerant so as tocool the moving blades, collect the refrigerant after cooling the movingblades via the first and second flow paths, and use it as combustion airof the combustor.

[0011] A refrigerant collection method for gas turbine moving bladesaccording to the present invention is accomplished, in a gas turbinehaving a turbine rotor which includes a plurality of moving bladeshaving cooling paths through which a refrigerant flows inside, aplurality of wheels having the aforementioned moving blades in the outerperiphery, and at least a spacer member installed between theneighboring wheels, by that in the moving blades installed in the firstwheel neighboring with the spacer member on the upstream side of gasflow, a refrigerant passing inside is introduced in from the upstreamside of gas flow and introduced out on the downstream side of gas flow,and the refrigerant introduced out from the moving blades is introducedout and collected in the first cavity formed in the junction surface ofthe second wheel neighboring on the downstream side of gas flow of thespacer member and the spacer member via the first flow paths formed inthe spacer member and in the moving blades installed in the secondwheel, a refrigerant passing inside is introduced in from the downstreamside of gas flow and introduced out on the upstream side of gas flow,and the refrigerant introduced out from the moving blades is introducedout and collected in the second cavity formed in the junction surface ofthe first wheel and the spacer member via the second flow paths formedin the spacer member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 is a view showing the first embodiment of a gas turbineapparatus of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 2 is a view of the spacer member of the first embodimentwhich is viewed from the front of the rotation axis.

[0014]FIG. 3 is a view of the spacer member of the first embodimentwhich is developed from the outer periphery surface.

[0015]FIG. 4 is a view showing another embodiment of a gas turbineapparatus of the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 5 is a view showing still another embodiment of a gas turbineapparatus of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 6 is a view showing a further embodiment of a gas turbineapparatus of the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 7 is a view showing a still further embodiment of a gasturbine apparatus of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a gas turbine apparatus of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The embodiments of the present invention will be explainedhereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021]FIG. 1 shows a part of a section of a gas turbine apparatus of afirst embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction of aturbine rotor.

[0022] The constitution of the gas turbine apparatus relating to thefirst embodiment will be described hereunder, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0023] In a turbine rotor 3, from the upstream side of gas flow alongthe longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft, a disk-shaped firststage wheel 1, a circular first stage spacer member 4, and a disc-shapedsecond stage wheel 2 are sequentially arranged and the wheels 1 and 2and the spacer member 4 are mutually connected and integrated by bolts11 passing through them. Namely, between the first stage wheel 1 and thesecond stage wheel 2 which are neighboring wheels among a plurality ofwheels, the spacer member 4 is arranged. When the wheels are taken intoaccount, the first stage wheel 1 and the second stage wheel 2 areneighboring with each other. “Neighboring” of the wheels which isreferred to as here means “adjacent” and actually, they may be incontact with each other or not.

[0024] In the outer periphery of the first stage wheel 1, a plurality offirst stage moving blades 7 each having a cooling path 7 a insiderespectively are installed in a ring-shape and in the same way, in theouter periphery of the second stage wheel 2, a plurality of second stagemoving blades 8 each having a cooling path 8 a inside respectively areinstalled in a ring-shape.

[0025] The first stage spacer member 4 has flow paths 5 and 6 insidethrough which a refrigerant after cooling the moving blades passes.

[0026] In a junction surface 1 a of the first stage spacer member 4 andthe first stage wheel 1 positioned on the upstream side of gas flow ofthe first stage spacer member 4, a hollowed refrigerant collectioncavity 9 on the upstream side is formed and in a junction surface 2 a ofthe first stage spacer member 4 and the second stage wheel 2 positionedon the downstream side of gas flow of the first stage spacer member 4, ahollowed refrigerant collection cavity 10 on the downstream side is alsoformed.

[0027] The flow paths 5 for letting a refrigerant after cooling themoving blades flow, each of which is installed in the first stage spacermember 4, interconnect the cooling paths 7 a installed in the firststage moving blades 7 on the upstream side of gas flow and therefrigerant collection cavity 10 on the downstream side, respectivelyand the flow paths 6 interconnect the cooling paths 8 a installed in thesecond stage moving blades 8 on the downstream side of gas flow and therefrigerant collection cavity 9 on the upstream side, respectively.

[0028] The flow paths 5 and 6 have, in the positions slightly close tothe center of the spacer member 4 from spacer arms 21, bent parts 5 aand 6 a and are formed so as to extend in parallel with the rotatingshaft between the connection of the moving blades and the spacer member4 and the bent parts 5 a and 6 a.

[0029] The flow paths 5 and 6 between the bent parts 5 a and 6 a and therefrigerant collection cavities 9 and 10 each take the configurationpassing through linearly as shown in FIG. 1. However, it may be formedin a curved shape and it may be decided in consideration of theworkability.

[0030] In this case, the spacer arms 21 are the parts where in the outerperiphery of the first stage spacer member 4, the refrigerant collectioncavities 9 and 10 are formed on the inner periphery side thereof.

[0031] On a side 1 b of the first stage wheel 1 on the upstream side ofgas flow, a hollowed refrigerant supply cavity 18 is formed and in thesame way, on a side 2 b of the second stage wheel 2 on the downstreamside of gas flow, a hollowed refrigerant supply cavity 19 is formed. Therefrigerant supply cavity 18 is interconnected to the cooling paths 7 aof the moving blades 7 via a path 1 c inside the first stage wheel 1 andthe refrigerant supply cavity 19 is interconnected to the cooling paths8 a of the moving blades 8 via a path 2 c inside the second stage wheel2.

[0032] According to this embodiment, the parts referred to as therefrigerant supply cavities 18 and 19 or the refrigerant collectioncavities 9 and 10 represent spaces or flow paths for distributing orcollecting a refrigerant for each moving blade. The refrigerant supplycavities 18 and 19 and the refrigerant collection cavities 9 and 10 eachmay be formed as one space or flow path along the overall periphery inthe circumferential direction of the turbine rotor 3 or may be dividedinto some parts.

[0033] Around the rotating shaft on the inner periphery side from therefrigerant supply cavities 18 and 19 or the refrigerant collectioncavities 9 and 10 of the turbine rotor 3, a plurality of refrigerantsupply pipes 12 and a plurality of refrigerant collection pipes 13 areindependently arranged.

[0034] The refrigerant supply pipes 12 pass through the first stagewheel 1, the first stage spacer 4, and the second stage wheel 2 and arefrigerant introduced from other than the turbine rotor system passesthrough the second stage wheel 2, the first stage spacer 4, and thefirst stage wheel 1 sequentially from the downstream side of gas flow.

[0035] On the side 1 b of the first stage wheel 1 on the upstream sideof gas flow and the side 2 b of the second stage wheel 2 on thedownstream side of gas flow, refrigerant supply slits 14 and 15 areformed respectively and interconnect the refrigerant supply pipe 12 tothe refrigerant supply cavities 18 and 19. If the refrigerant supplyslits 14 and 15 practically introduce a refrigerant distributed from therefrigerant supply pipe 12 to the refrigerant supply cavities 18 and 19,any shape and number of slits can be taken.

[0036] If the refrigerant supply pipe 12 can practically distribute arefrigerant introduced from other than the turbine rotor system to therefrigerant supply slits 14 and 15, the arrangement in the turbinerotor, the shape and number of pipes, and the number of wheels andspacer members through which a refrigerant passes are no particularobject. For example, a refrigerant may be introduced from the upstreamside of gas flow of the turbine rotor 3 and may pass throughsequentially the first stage wheel 1, the first stage spacer 4, and thesecond stage wheel 2.

[0037] A plurality of the refrigerant supply pipes 12 may beinterconnected to both or either of the refrigerant supply slits 14 and15 according to the flow rate of a refrigerant to be supplied to themoving blades 7 and 8 from the wheels 1 and 2.

[0038] The refrigerant collection pipe 13 passes through the first stagewheel 1 and the first stage spacer member 4 and introduces a collectionrefrigerant after cooling the moving blades to other than the turbinerotor system from the upstream side of gas flow of the turbine rotor 3.

[0039] On a side 4 a of the first stage spacer member 4 on the upstreamside of gas flow and a side 4 b on the downstream side of gas flow,refrigerant collection slits 24 and 25 are formed respectively andinterconnect the refrigerant collection cavities 9 and 10 to therefrigerant collection pipe 13. If the refrigerant collection slits 24and 25 practically introduce collected refrigerants 17 a and 18 a aftercooling the moving blades from the refrigerant supply cavities 18 and 19to the refrigerant collection pipe 13, the shape and number of slits areno particular object.

[0040] If the refrigerant supply pipe 13 can practically collect therefrigerants 16 a and 17 a after cooling the moving blades from therefrigerant collection slits 24 and 25 and introduce them outside theturbine rotor system, in the same way as with the refrigerant supplypipe 12, the arrangement in the turbine rotor, the shape and number ofpipes, and the numbers of wheels and space members through which arefrigerant passes are no particular object. For example, a refrigerantmay flow through sequentially the first stage spacer member 4 and thesecond stage wheel 2 and may be introduced outside the turbine rotorsystem from the downstream side of gas flow of the turbine rotor 3.

[0041] A plurality of refrigerant collection pipes 13 may beinterconnected to both or either of the refrigerant collection slits 24and 25 according to the flow rate of a refrigerant to be collected fromthe moving blades 7 and 8 of the wheels 1 and 2.

[0042] The constitution of the gas turbine apparatus of this embodimentwill be supplementally explained additionally by referring to FIGS. 2and 3.

[0043]FIG. 2 shows a part of the first stage spacer member 4 of the gasturbine apparatus shown in FIG. 1 which is viewed from the upstream sideof the revolving shaft.

[0044] A plurality of flow paths 5 and 6 are installed alternately andindependently in the outer periphery of the spacer member 4 and arrangedfor each moving blade so that the flow paths 5 are connected to thecooling path outlet 7 b of the first stage moving blades 7 and the flowpaths 6 are connected to the cooling path outlet 8 b of the second stagemoving blades 8.

[0045] The flow paths 5 are interconnected to the refrigerant collectioncavity 10 installed in the outer periphery of the first stage spacermember 4 corresponding on the back side of the sheet of FIG. 2 and theflow paths 6 are interconnected to the refrigerant collection cavity 9installed in the outer periphery of the first stage spacer member 4.

[0046] The refrigerant collection cavity 9 may be formed along theoverall periphery in the circumferential direction of the first stagespacer member 4 or may be divided into some parts.

[0047] The refrigerant collection slit 24 is formed on the side of thefirst stage spacer member 4 in the radial direction and interconnectsthe refrigerant collection cavity 9 to the refrigerant collection pipe13 installed around the revolving shaft of the turbine rotor 3.

[0048] Around the revolving shaft of the turbine rotor 3, the bolt 11,the refrigerant supply pipes 12, and the refrigerant collection pipes 13are arranged independently and a plurality of first stage spacer members4 are installed respectively.

[0049]FIG. 3 is the section A-A′ shown in FIG. 2 which is developed in aplane shape viewed from the outer periphery of the spacers. Therefrigerant collection paths 5 and 6 are formed alternately and linearlyand do not intersect each other inside the spacers.

[0050] Next, the flow of a refrigerant for cooling the moving blades ofthe gas turbine apparatus of this embodiment will be explainedhereunder. In this embodiment, an example using compressed air extractedfrom the compressor of the gas turbine apparatus as a refrigerant isindicated.

[0051] A refrigerant extracted from a compressor 30 (refer to FIG. 8 forexample) passes through an extracted air refrigerant path 36 (refer toFIG. 8 for example) outside the turbine rotor system and is introducedinto a plurality of refrigerant supply pipes 12 installed around therevolving shaft of the turbine rotor. A refrigerant introduced into therefrigerant supply pipes 12 is distributed to a plurality of refrigerantsupply slits 14 and 15 formed in the side 1 b on the upstream side ofgas flow of the first stage wheel 1 and the side 2 b on the downstreamside of gas flow of the second stage wheel 2.

[0052] Refrigerants passing through the refrigerant supply slits 14 and15 are distributed in the circumferential direction of the turbine rotor3 in the refrigerant supply cavities 18 and 19. Then, they pass throughthe path 1 c of the first stage wheel 1 and the path 2 c of the secondstage wheel 2 and are introduced into the cooling paths 7 a and 8 a ofthe moving blades 7 and 8 installed in the outer peripheries of thefirst stage wheel 1 and the second stage wheel 2.

[0053] The flow of refrigerants in the moving blades 7 and 8 isrespectively represented by arrows 16 and 17 shown in FIG. 1 and at thistime, the refrigerants cool the moving blades 7 and 8 getting high intemperature by combustion gas flowing outside.

[0054] The refrigerants 16 a and 17 a after cooling the moving bladesare respectively introduced into the flow paths 5 and 6 independentlyinstalled in the first stage spacer member 4 from the moving blades 7and 8. In this case, the refrigerant 16 a having cooled the first stagemoving blades 7 is introduced into the flow path 5 and the refrigerant17 a having cooled the second stage moving blades 8 is introduced intothe flow path 6.

[0055] The refrigerant 16 a passing through the flow paths 5 isintroduced to the refrigerant collection cavity 10 on the downstreamside and the refrigerant 17 a passing through the flow paths 6 isintroduced to the refrigerant collection cavity 9 on the upstream side.

[0056] Furthermore, the refrigerants 16 a and 17 a flow into therefrigerant collection pipes 13 arranged around the rotating shaft ofthe turbine rotor 3 via a plurality of refrigerant collection slits 24and 25 formed in the sides 4 a and 4 b of the first stage spacer member4 in the radial direction from the refrigerant collection cavity 10 onthe downstream side and the refrigerant collection cavity 9 on theupstream side. The refrigerants reached the refrigerant collection pipes13 are introduced outside the turbine rotor system and supplied tocombustion air of the combustor 31(refer to FIG. 8 for example) finallyvia a collection refrigerant path 37 (refer to FIG. 8 for example)installed outside the turbine rotor system.

[0057] The effects obtained by the actual operation using theaforementioned constitution of this embodiment will be explainedhereunder.

[0058] The first effect of this embodiment is that reliable wheels canbe obtained on the stress by the centrifugal force caused by therotation of the gas turbine.

[0059] As the gas turbine increases in rotation, the centrifugal forceacting on the first stage wheel 1, the second stage wheel 2, and thefirst stage spacer member 4 constituting the turbine rotor 3 increases.Since the wheels particularly have the moving blades 7 and 8 plantedtherein, remarkable stress is acted on the outer periphery of each ofthe wheels.

[0060] If the outer peripheries of the wheels 1 and 2 are structured soas to have many refrigerant flow paths, no sufficient strength can beobtained and there is the possibility that the stress is concentrated onthe peripheral part of the refrigerant flow path. Furthermore, whenthere is a flow path of a refrigerant having become high in temperatureafter cooling the moving blades, the refrigerant directly comes incontact with the wheels to raise the temperature of the wheels, so thatit is necessary to consider the allowable stress of the wheels.

[0061] According to this embodiment, since the refrigerant flow pathsinstalled in the first stage wheel 1 and the second stage wheel 2 areonly the paths 1 c and 2 c of a refrigerant at a low temperature beforecooling the moving blades, the structure is simple and the effect on areduction in the allowable stress of the wheel member due to temperaturerise is small and hence wheels high in strength and reliable on thestress due to centrifugal force and thermal stress can be obtained.

[0062] The second effect of this embodiment is that a reliable spacermember can be obtained for the stress by the centrifugal force caused bythe rotation of the gas turbine.

[0063] As the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the gasturbine increases, on the spacer arms 21 of the first stage spacermember 4 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, bending stress is generated outward inthe radial direction and as the number of revolutions increases, thebending stress increases, so that it is necessary to consider thisstress.

[0064] On the other hand, according to this embodiment, on the bentparts 5 a and 5 b of the flow paths installed in the spacer member 4,bending stress is not easy to act because they are not on the spacerarms 21 and the stress acting on the bent parts of the flow pathsreduces. The radius of curvature at the bent parts 5 a and 6 a of theflow paths is larger than that when, for example, the cooling paths 7 aof the first stage moving blades 7 are interconnected to the refrigerantcollection cavity 9 on the upstream side and the cooling paths 8 a ofthe second stage moving blades 8 are interconnected to the refrigerantcollection cavity 10 on the downstream side. As a result, the stressconcentration is moderated. Therefore, not only for the first stagewheel 1 and the second stage wheel 2 but also for the first stage spacermember 4, the reliability for the stress by the centrifugal force causedby the rotation of the gas turbine is high.

[0065] The third effect of this embodiment is that the sealing propertyat the connection of the cooling paths in the moving blades and therefrigerant flow paths installed in the spacer member is high.

[0066] As mentioned above, when a refrigerant leaks in combustion gas,the combustion gas temperature lowers and the turbine efficiencyreduces, so that it is necessary to keep the sealing property at theconnection with the refrigerant flow paths high. Particularly since theturbine rotor rotates at high speed at a high temperature, it isimportant to take a shape that deformation due to heat and centrifugalforce under the actual operation condition is not easily caused and thesealing property is high.

[0067] If the refrigerant path outlets 7 a and 8 b of the moving blades7 and 8 directly face the space having a spread of the refrigerantcollection cavities 9 and 10, peripheries 4 c and 4 d in contact withthe moving blades 7 and 8 of the spacer member 4 have lower structuralstrength and the deformation due to centrifugal force is easilyincreased. Furthermore, the contact area of the moving blades with thespacer member 4 is small and it is necessary to consider leakage of arefrigerant from the peripheries 4 c and 4 d of the spacer member 4.

[0068] Therefore, in the aforementioned embodiment of the presentinvention, the flow paths 5 and 6 of a refrigerant after cooling themoving blades installed in the space member 4 are independentlyinstalled at each of the moving blades cooling path outlets 7 b and 7 a,so that the strength of the peripheries 4 c and 4 d in contact with themoving blades of the spacer member 4 is high and the deformation due tocentrifugal force can be made smaller. Furthermore, since the contactarea of the moving blades 7 and 8 with the spacer member 4 is large, thesealing property at the connection of the moving blades cooling pathoutlets 7 b and 8 b with the flow paths 5 and 6 installed in the spacermember 4 can be kept high.

[0069] In addition, this embodiment produces an effect such that theeffect of heat on the strength of the wheels can be reduced. Namely,since there are no flow paths of a refrigerant having high intemperature after cooling the moving blades in the wheels, the wheelscannot be easily heated, and the reduction in the allowable stress dueto temperature rise is suppressed, and the strength can be kept high. Atthe same time, the temperature incline between the high-temperatureportion and the low-temperature portion in the wheel member is noteasily increased, so that the effect of the thermal stress acting on thewheels can be reduced.

[0070] As mentioned above, according to this embodiment, high-strengthwheels can be obtained and the stress concentration due to thecentrifugal force acting on the wheels and spacer member can be reduced,so that a reliable gas turbine can be provided. Furthermore, the sealingproperty at the connection of the moving blades cooling paths with theflow paths installed in the spacer member can be improved, so that therefrigerant leakage is suppressed and the high efficiency can berealized.

[0071]FIG. 4 shows a part of the section of a gas turbine apparatus ofthe second embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction ofthe turbine rotor. The explanation of the constitution and operationcommon to those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0072] According to this embodiment, the bent parts 5 b and 6 b of theflow paths 5 and 6 installed in the spacer member 4 are formed in theneighborhood of the center of the spacer member 4 in the axialdirection.

[0073] The neighborhood of center of the spacer member 4 in the axialdirection is a location which is most hard to be adversely affected bythe bending stress acting on the spacer arms 21 by the centrifugalforce, so that the stress acting on the neighborhood of the bent part ismade smaller. Therefore, no stress concentration is generated in theneighborhood of the bending part of each of the flow paths and there isan advantage that a reliable spacer member can be obtained for thestress due to the centrifugal force.

[0074]FIG. 5 shows a part of the section of a gas turbine apparatus ofthe third embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction ofthe turbine rotor. The explanation of the constitution and operationcommon to those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0075] In this embodiment, the flow paths 5 c and 5 b installed in thespacer member 4 are arranged almost linearly. Therefore, there are nobent parts in the flow paths, so that no stress concentration isgenerated at a specific part of the flow paths and a reliable spacermember can be obtained for the stress due to the centrifugal force.

[0076]FIG. 6 shows a part of the section of a gas turbine apparatus ofthe fourth embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction ofthe turbine rotor. The explanation of the constitution and operationcommon to those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0077] In this embodiment, spacers 22 are arranged so as to divide therefrigerant collection cavities 9 and 10 into spaces 9 b and 10 b on theside of the first stage spacer 4 and spaces 9 a and 10 a on the side ofthe first stage wheel 1 and the second stage wheel 2 in the overallcircumferential direction.

[0078] When a high temperature refrigerant after cooling the movingblades is directly blown onto refrigerant collection cavity surfaces 1 dand 2 d of the wheels 1 and 2 and the temperature rises, the allowablestress of the wheel member reduces and hence the strength is easilydecreased. Between the comparatively lower-temperature refrigerantsupply cavities 18 and 19 installed on the opposite sides 1 b and 2 b ofthe wheels 1 and 2, a temperature difference is generated and greatthermal stress is easily generated in the wheels. The parts with thewheel cavities formed are in the outer peripheries of the wheels and themoving blades are installed there, so that there are locations havinglarge stress due to centrifugal force. As a result, the thermal effectand the effect of stress due to centrifugal force are overlaid, so thatit is necessary to consider the reliability.

[0079] Therefore, in this embodiment, the spacer plates 22 isolate therefrigerant collection cavity surfaces 1 d and 2 d of the wheels 1 and 2from the high temperature refrigerants 17 a and 17 b after cooling themoving blades and hence moderate the thermal effect on the wheels 1 and2. Therefore, it can be prevented that the wheels 1 and 2 become warmand the allowable stress reduces and at the same time, the thermalstress acting on the wheels 1 and 2 can be reduced, so that thereliability of the wheels 1 and 2 is improved more.

[0080] If on the junction surface of the wheels 1 and 2 with the spacermember 4, the refrigerant collection cavities 9 and 10 are entirelydivided into the spaces 9 a and 10 a on the wheel side and the spaces 9b and 10 b on the spacer member side respectively by the spacer plates22, the shape of the spacer plates 22 is no particular object. Forexample, the spacer plates may be formed in a ring shape that theoverall periphery is integrated or combined with some members. As amaterial of the spacer plates 22, a heat-resistant material is suitedand the surface of a metallic material may be covered with aheat-resistant material such as ceramics or chrome carbide.

[0081] The fourth embodiment has a constitution that the refrigerantcollection cavities 9 and 10 are divided by the spacer plates 22 and thecavity surfaces 1 d and 2 d of the wheels 1 and 2 are isolated from thehigh temperature refrigerants 17 a and 16 a after cooling the movingblades. However, in addition to it, a constitution that the surface ofeach member through which a high temperature refrigerant passes such asthe cavity surfaces 1 d and 2 d of the wheels 1 and 2 and the surfacesof the refrigerant collection slits 24 and 25 is coated and insulatedfrom heat may be used. In this case, as a coating material, aheat-resistant material such as ceramics or chrome carbide or a porousmaterial is suited.

[0082]FIG. 7 shows a part of the section of a gas turbine apparatus ofthe fifth embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction ofthe turbine rotor. The explanation of the constitution and operationcommon to those of the first to fourth embodiments will be omitted.

[0083] In this embodiment, at a connection 23 a of the flow path 5installed in the spacer member 4 and the cooling path outlet 7 b of themoving blades 7, a sealing material 23 is installed. Also at theconnection of the flow path 6 not shown in the drawing and the coolingpath outlet 8 b of the moving blades 8, a sealing material 23 isinstalled.

[0084] If the refrigerant path outlet of the moving blades directlyfaces the space having a spread of the refrigerant collection cavity, itis necessary to consider the sealing property in correspondence with thedeformation of the moving blades and spacer member by heat orcentrifugal force.

[0085] According to the first to fourth embodiments, the flow paths 5and 6 installed in the spacer member 4 and the moving blades coolingpath outlets 7 b and 8 b are formed so as to be interconnected inone-to-one correspondence, so that when the sealing member 23 isinstalled at the connection 23 a as indicated in the fifth embodiment,the sealing property can be easily improved. Therefore, the leakage of arefrigerant can be prevented and the turbine efficiency can be kepthigh. This embodiment indicates an example that annular sealingmaterials 23 in accordance with the flow path 5 installed in the spacermember 4 and the opening shape of the cooling path outlet 7 b of themoving blades 7 are inserted into a pair of connections 23 a one by one.However, other methods are also available. For example, some annularsealing materials to be inserted into a pair of connections 23 a may beintegrated and if the sealing property can be practically exhibited, theshape and material thereof are no particular object.

[0086]FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a gas turbine of the presentinvention. For the constitution and operation described in the previousembodiment, the explanation will be omitted.

[0087] The turbine rotor 3 that a plurality of wheels 34 and a pluralityof spacer members 35 are integrated by bolts 11 and the compressor 30are arranged on the center line 33 of the turbine, and fuel 32 is mixedwith combustion air compressed by the compressor 30 by the combustor 31,and obtained high temperature combustion gas is introduced into theturbine 38.

[0088] According to this embodiment, compressed air taken out from thecompressor 30 is introduced into the turbine rotor system via theextraction refrigerant path 36 and used as a moving blade coolingrefrigerant.

[0089] The extraction refrigerant path 36 is connected to therefrigerant supply pipes 12 in the turbine rotor system and compressedair is supplied to the moving blade cooling paths 7 a and 8 a via thepaths described in the first to fifth embodiments.

[0090] Compressed air collected in the turbine rotor system aftercooling the moving blades is introduced outside the turbine rotor systemvia the refrigerant collection paths 13 described in the first to fifthembodiments, sent to the combustor 31 via the collection refrigerant 37,and used as a part of combustion air.

[0091] By doing this, even if combustion gas becomes high intemperature, the moving blades can be sufficiently cooled and arefrigerant becoming warm by heat exchange can be used as a part ofcombustion air, so that an efficient gas turbine can be obtained.

[0092] As a refrigerant, in addition, a gaseous body such as vapor,nitrogen, and hydrogen and a liquid such as water can be considered andfor example, vapor which is generated using exhaust heat of combustionof the gas turbine can be applied.

[0093] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, in a gasturbine that the combustion temperature is increased and realization ofhigh efficiency is required, an effect that a reliable and efficient gasturbine can be realized for the stress due to the centrifugal forcecaused by rotation of the gas turbine can be produced.

What is claimed is:
 1. A gas turbine comprising a turbine rotorincluding a plurality of moving blades having cooling paths throughwhich a refrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheels having saidmoving blades in the outer periphery, and at least a spacer memberinstalled between said neighboring wheels, wherein said spacer memberhas a plurality of flow paths through which a refrigerant after coolingsaid moving blades flows and said plurality of flow paths have firstflow paths interconnecting to said cooling paths installed in saidmoving blades on a first wheel neighboring with said spacer member andinterconnecting to a first space formed on the side wall surface withwhich a second wheel neighboring with said spacer member and said spacermember are in contact and second flow paths interconnecting to saidcooling paths installed in said moving blades on said second wheel andinterconnecting to a second space formed on the side wall surface withwhich said first wheel and said spacer member are in contact.
 2. A gasturbine comprising a turbine rotor including a plurality of movingblades having cooling paths through which a refrigerant flows inside, aplurality of wheels having said moving blades in the outer periphery,and at least a spacer member installed between said neighboring wheels,wherein said spacer member has a plurality of flow paths through which arefrigerant after cooling said moving blades flows and said plurality offlow paths have first flow paths interconnecting to said cooling pathsinstalled in said moving blades on a first wheel neighboring with saidspacer member on the upstream side of gas flow and the side of saidspacer member on the downstream side of gas flow and introducing saidrefrigerant and second flow paths interconnecting to said cooling pathsinstalled in said moving blades on a second wheel neighboring with saidspacer member on the downstream side of gas flow and the side of saidspacer member on the upstream side of gas flow and introducing saidrefrigerant.
 3. A gas turbine comprising a turbine rotor including aplurality of moving blades having cooling paths through which arefrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheels having said movingblades in the outer periphery, and at least a spacer member installedbetween said neighboring wheels, wherein said spacer member has aplurality of flow paths through which a refrigerant after cooling saidmoving blades flows, a first cavity formed at a junction of a firstwheel neighboring with said spacer members and said spacer member, and asecond cavity formed at a junction of a second wheel neighboring withsaid spacer member and said spacer member and said plurality of flowpaths installed in said spacer member have first flow pathsinterconnecting said cooling paths installed in said moving blades onsaid first wheel and said second cavity and second flow pathsinterconnecting said cooling paths installed in said moving blades onsaid second wheel and said first cavity.
 4. A gas turbine comprising aturbine rotor including a plurality of moving blades having coolingpaths through which a refrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheelshaving said moving blades in the outer periphery, and at least a spacermember installed between said neighboring wheels, wherein said spacermember has a plurality of flow paths through which a refrigerant aftercooling said moving blades flows, a first cavity formed at a junction ofa first wheel positioned on the upstream side of gas flow of said spacermember and said spacer member, and a second cavity formed at a junctionof a second wheel positioned on the downstream side of gas flow of saidspacer member and said spacer member and said plurality of flow pathsinstalled in said spacer member have first flow paths interconnectingsaid cooling paths installed in said moving blades on said first wheeland said second cavity and second flow paths interconnecting saidcooling paths installed in said moving blades on said second wheel andsaid first cavity.
 5. A gas turbine according to claim 3 or 4, wherein aheat-resistant member is installed in said plurality of cavities and thesurfaces of said cavities on the wheel side are isolated from arefrigerant collected from said moving blades.
 6. A gas turbineaccording to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein in said plurality of flowpaths installed in said spacer member, bent parts are formed in theneighborhood of the center of said spacer member in the axial direction.7. A gas turbine according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein saidplurality of flow paths installed in said spacer member are formedalmost linearly.
 8. A gas turbine according to any of claims 1 to 4,wherein said plurality of flow paths installed in said spacer member arearranged so as to interconnect to each of said cooling paths installedin said moving blades respectively.
 9. A gas turbine according to any ofclaims 1 to 4, wherein said first flow path and said second flow pathare formed independently of each other.
 10. A gas turbine according toany of claims 1 to 4, wherein at a connection of said plurality of flowpaths installed in said spacer member and said cooling paths installedin said moving blades, a sealing member is inserted.
 11. A gas turbineapparatus comprising a turbine having a turbine rotor which includes aplurality of moving blades having cooling paths through which arefrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheels having said movingblades in the outer periphery, and at least a spacer member installedbetween said neighboring wheels, a compressor, and a combustor, whereinsaid spacer member has a plurality of flow paths through which arefrigerant after cooling said moving blades flows and said plurality offlow paths have first flow paths interconnecting to said cooling pathsinstalled in said moving blades on a first wheel neighboring with saidspacer member and interconnecting to a first space formed on the sidewall surface with which a second wheel neighboring with said spacermember and said spacer member are in contact and second flow pathsinterconnecting to said cooling paths installed in said moving blades onsaid second wheel and interconnecting to a second space formed on theside wall surface with which said first wheel and said spacer member arein contact, interconnect said first and second spaces and combustion airflow paths to be supplied to said combustor, supply compressed airextracted from said compressor to said cooling paths of said movingblades as a refrigerant, cool said moving blades, collect a refrigerantafter cooling said moving blades via said first and second flow paths,and supply it to combustion air of said combustor.
 12. A gas turbineapparatus comprising a turbine having a turbine rotor which includes aplurality of moving blades having cooling paths through which arefrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheels having said movingblades in the outer periphery, and at least a spacer member installedbetween said neighboring wheels, a compressor, and a combustor, whereinsaid spacer member has a plurality of flow paths through which arefrigerant after cooling said moving blades flows and said plurality offlow paths have first flow paths interconnecting to said cooling pathsinstalled in said moving blades on a first wheel neighboring with saidspacer member on the upstream side of gas flow and the side of saidspacer member on the downstream side of gas flow and introducing saidrefrigerant after cooling said moving blades and second flow pathsinterconnecting to said cooling paths installed in said moving blades ona second wheel neighboring with said spacer member on the downstreamside of gas flow and the side of said spacer member on the upstream sideof gas flow and introducing said refrigerant after cooling said movingblades, supply compressed air extracted from said compressor to saidcooling paths of said moving blades as a refrigerant, cool said movingblades, collect a refrigerant after cooling said moving blades via saidfirst and second flow paths, and supply it to combustion air of saidcombustor.
 13. A gas turbine apparatus comprising a turbine having aturbine rotor which includes a plurality of moving blades having coolingpaths through which a refrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheelshaving said moving blades in the outer periphery, and at least a spacermember installed between said neighboring wheels, a compressor, and acombustor, wherein said spacer member has a plurality of flow pathsthrough which a refrigerant after cooling said moving blades flows, afirst cavity formed at a junction of a first wheel neighboring with saidspacer member and said spacer member, and a second cavity formed at ajunction of a second wheel neighboring with said spacer member and saidspacer member and said plurality of flow paths installed in said spacermember have first flow paths interconnecting said cooling pathsinstalled in said moving blades on said first wheel and said secondcavity and second flow paths interconnecting said cooling pathsinstalled in said moving blades on said second wheel and said firstcavity, supply compressed air extracted from said compressor to saidcooling paths of said moving blades as a refrigerant, cool said movingblades, collect a refrigerant after cooling said moving blades via saidfirst and second flow paths, and supply it to combustion air of saidcombustor.
 14. A gas turbine apparatus comprising a turbine having aturbine rotor which includes a plurality of moving blades having coolingpaths through which a refrigerant flows inside, a plurality of wheelshaving said moving blades in the outer periphery, and at least a spacermember installed between said neighboring wheels, a compressor, and acombustor, wherein said spacer member has a plurality of flow pathsthrough which a refrigerant after cooling said moving blades flows, afirst cavity formed at a junction of a first wheel positioned on theupstream side of gas flow of said spacer member and said spacer member,and a second cavity formed at a junction of a second wheel positioned onthe downstream side of gas flow of said spacer member and said spacermember and said plurality of flow paths installed in said spacer memberhave first flow paths interconnecting said cooling paths installed insaid moving blades on said first wheel and said second cavity and secondflow paths interconnecting said cooling paths installed in said movingblades on said second wheel and said first cavity, supply compressed airextracted from said compressor to said cooling paths of said movingblades as a refrigerant, cool said moving blades, collect a refrigerantafter cooling said moving blades via said first and second flow pathsand said first and second cavities, and supply it to combustion air ofsaid combustor.
 15. A refrigerant collection method of moving blades ofa gas turbine comprising a turbine rotor including a plurality of movingblades having cooling paths through which a refrigerant flows inside, aplurality of wheels having said moving blades in the outer periphery,and at least a spacer member installed between said neighboring wheels,wherein a plurality of flow paths through which a refrigerant aftercooling said moving blades flows are installed in said spacer member anda refrigerant for cooling said moving blades on a first wheelneighboring with said spacer member is introduced from said supply pathsformed in said first wheel into said flow paths of said moving bladesand said refrigerant after cooling said moving blades is introduced fromsaid cooling paths of said moving blades to first flow paths installedin said spacer member and collected in a first space formed on ajunction surface of a second wheel neighboring with said spacer memberand said spacer member and a refrigerant for cooling said moving bladeson said second wheel neighboring with said spacer member is introducedfrom said supply paths formed in said second wheel into said flow pathsof said moving blades and said refrigerant after cooling said movingblades is introduced from said cooling paths of said moving blades tosecond flow paths installed in said spacer members and collected in asecond space formed on a junction surface of said first wheel and saidspacer member.
 16. A refrigerant collection method of moving blades of agas turbine comprising a turbine rotor including a plurality of movingblades having cooling paths through which a refrigerant flows inside, aplurality of wheels having said moving blades in the outer periphery,and at least a spacer member installed between said neighboring wheels,wherein in said moving blades installed in a first wheel neighboringwith said spacer member, a refrigerant passing inside is introduced infrom the upstream side of gas flow and introduced out on the downstreamside of gas flow, and said introduced refrigerant is introduced andcollected on the downstream side of gas flow of said spacer member viafirst flow paths formed in said spacer member and in said moving bladesinstalled in a second wheel neighboring with said spacer member, arefrigerant passing inside is introduced in from the downstream side ofgas flow and introduced out on the upstream side of gas flow, and saidintroduced refrigerant is introduced and collected on the upstream sideof gas flow of said spacer member via second flow paths formed in saidspacer member.
 17. A refrigerant collection method of moving blades of agas turbine comprising a turbine rotor including a plurality of movingblades having cooling paths through which a refrigerant flows inside, aplurality of wheels having said moving blades in the outer periphery,and at least a spacer member installed between said neighboring wheels,wherein in said moving blades installed in a first wheel neighboringwith said spacer members on the upstream side of gas flow, a refrigerantpassing inside is introduced in from the upstream side of gas flow andintroduced out on the downstream side of gas flow, and said refrigerantintroduced out from said moving blades is introduced and collected in afirst cavity formed in a junction surface of a second wheel neighboringon the downstream side of gas flow of said spacer member and said spacermember via first flow paths formed in said spacer member and in saidmoving blades installed in said second wheel, a refrigerant passinginside is introduced in from the downstream side of gas flow andintroduced out on the upstream side of gas flow, and said refrigerantintroduced out from said moving blades is introduced and collected in asecond cavity formed in a junction surface of said first wheel and saidspacer member via second flow paths formed in said spacer member.